About to be kicked off suboxone No meds. Good track record

[JackiePeyton]

So so I've been going to the same clinic or doctor for my suboxone for about five years. I've never had any dirty Urines. They're about to boot me off because of Ativan. I have a script For thiS and told them a while back.they told me not to take it. Intermittently I have taken it and has never showed up in my urine. Well last month I was having some trouble sleeping from too many night shifts in a row and I took it. Well now it shows and they did a random today. For some reason about six months ago they decided to want me to be back in counseling. They had waived this requirement for probably two years. I have a very erratic schedule and a lot of trouble keeping these appointments. I can barely keep my Suboxone appointment. But since I have missed two appointments in a row they are now threatening discharge. The suboxone coordinator told me after I did my random today that she could not give me my prescription even though I will be out of meds tonight. She told me in the morning they would notify me of my status. She said she had to speak with the doctor. It is a Friday and I have no meds and they're not going to refill me? That sounds unethical to me but I know what happens to people. I just wonder what you all think if they're going to discharge me or not. I've been calling all day to find a new doctor to no avail. I have some leads but everybody says it will be a week or two at least that doesn't help me now. I have one 2 mg film. I was taking 2 mg a day. Trying to get my roommate to give me an 8mg or two. I can always turn off the hot water and Internet if they won't help me,lol. So what are your opinions and experiences?

 

[anaddict]

I would not call it unethical but it would be at the very least cold hearted thing to do. BUT.. Apparently Suboxen alters all benzos and by refilling your meds while you tested positive for Ativan your doctor could get in serious trouble. Especially if you had some adverse reaction but even if you didnt if their records were to be audited I suspect that could still cause problems for them. Unfortunately with malpractice laws the way they are it hard to blame these doctors for covering their own ass. All that being said she would be essentially forcing you into CT withdraw and putting you in a situation where you are very likely will be out their buying drugs on the street. You did however break your contract and I am pretty sure if they decide not to refill you would be SOL unfortunately. I hope that some compromise can be reached.

 

[JackiePeyton]

Thanks for your reply. I've never been in this situation but I guess that has been lucky for me. I am hoping they will allow me to bring the bottle of Ativan in and dispose of it and then give me a new RX for sub. The coordinator asked me to bring it the next day and I told her not if they r cutting me off! I will be in wd and will need anything I can get! She said she understood. So who knows what the morning may bring. One
Minute I feel like it will work out. The next- sheer terror

 

[Miss Kirsty]

wow...That sounds rough mate...Your Dr did tell you NOT to take it...I once got tossed outa my Drs because id been given a codeine script while on MMT....I live in a big city where Drs are on every corner so instead of traveling four suburbs to see her i went to a Dr that was around the corner from my house...I had a massive absess on my tooth and the pain was unbearable...the codeins didnt even touch the sides of the pain anyway...BUT the Dr found out two weeks later and they rang me and booted me off the program...Told me i was going to end up on a slab in the morgue!!And they didnt want the blame...A bit severe for 20x 30mg codeins...Lucky for me i found another Dr that very same day who9 took me on and has since precsribed the very same painkiller to me...
Can you get another Dr OP?
Do you have a ph number like the one we have in Australia that find Drs and chemists/drugstores for you?
Good luck and at least your dose is pretty small so maybe you can get some from your buddy?...Try and get yourself of it ASAP...You will get a taper on here easy enough...Good luck..


ALSo OP im not familiar with Ativan..its a benzo?..If so can you propose that you get them when you get your soboxone? So your chem/drugstore dole them out to you so to speak?...It might make "them" happier???

 

[JackiePeyton]

Thank you for the reply. I have been looking like crazy for another doctor. The best I have gotten was an appointment that I could schedule in two weeks. There is a program that might be able to help me but I haven't heard from them yet today. I'm still waiting to hear from the doctor to see if they're going to be with me. I guess I should live in Australia that would be nice. I thought those places would at least medically taper you but I actually did know somebody who got booted off methadone at 100 mg with no real taper I think it was only three days or something like that but she had a really rough time. So I guess I have learned my lesson yes they told me not to take the Ativan and yes I did it anyway.
Now I have to face the music but it sucks and at least I have this for him to complain about it on because I don't talk to many people about my habit.
I hardly have any friends left to even know that I have it and though that is a good thing it doesn't suit me now because I have nowhere to get anything. Just my roommate and I don't want to ask her for two weeks worth of meds

 

[JackiePeyton]

Update:
Bad- Yes I am being discharged. Good: yes they are giving me a taper
Good- I found another bupe doc, seems easy to work with
Bad - it isn't for a month
gotta make any meds I get last, should be able to get a few more here and there.

I know it will work out
And I get to keep my ativans just in case I don't have enough bupe. I was gonna turn them in to the op
but since she is booting me, why bother. I will not use them unless absolutely necessary until in with the new doc. Then
they are going bye bye. No more trouble from them.

I have been in this too long. It is time to quit. I have been on bupe for 10 years.
Has anyone else been on so long? Time for a long slow taper. Currently I am at 2 mgs. Time to go down to the micro doses. This has opened my eyes
I can't have my kids grow up and have me on bupe the whole time. I want them to know me bupe free.

 

[JackiePeyton]

So here is how I finally made out. I got in with the new OPV as I said above. That will be in one month. He is supposed to be pretty easy-going. I got my taper it's one month in medication and it actually should last me even longer than a month if I wanted to stretch it out I could probably make it to maybe even more. I got 53 of the 2 mg films.

I thought that was very generous and I am happy with the outcome. What does bother me is that I asked them if I could go to NA meetings and they would not let me I don't understand why I had to go to the certified addiction counselor. Perhaps this is part of the guidelines could've been established I'm not sure I haven't looked at them lately. I would think that any type of group setting would be fine I know that you can have a sign for. I have a lot of trouble keeping my counselor appointments because of my erratic schedule. But I realize that it's nobody's fault but my own.

The thing is whenever you missing appointment with him to other than the copayment. Well that's fine you call the office and they don't take credit cards so I have to run 20 miles up the road to pay them just to make an appointment and backing get in the way. So now my new doctor is closer to my work.

My new job starts at the end of the month. My hours will be 8 to 5 Monday through Friday with every sixth weekend. Nothing crazy like it has been. What I have been doing is a night and evening a day maybe two days off the night then maybe an evening night double it's a long story but let's just say it was quite erratic and I knew it was that way because I was posted be The fill in person. well that doesn't work for me anymore so I got a new job I'm very happy.

 

[phactor]

Its hard I know, but they cannot continually bend the rules for people. It isn't far for others. When I was working in social work I would make it clear that the rules were the rules. If you broke them you suffered the consequences. Talk to your new Dr, schedule an appt with the therapist, show them you are ready to follow the treatment plan and they might give you more leeway.

I have no idea why they will not let you attend NA meetings, many addiction services in the US are very strongly influenced by the 12 steps. For better or worse.

 

[phactor]

Do you have a ph number like the one we have in Australia that find Drs and chemists/drugstores for you?
Good luck and at least your dose is pretty small so maybe you can get some from your buddy?...Try and get yourself of it ASAP...You will get a taper on here easy enough...Good luck..

We are starting to get these type of lines in the US, however, we have nothing like "FRANK" which they have in the UK. The US treats addiction differently then most other countries, but its finally getting better. Keep in mind our insurance system is all fucked up right now, so you are not just dealing with one entity like you do everywhere else in the western world. Healthcare for all is sadly still very much up for debate here...

 

[JackiePeyton]

Thanks for the replies. I consider this a life lesson anda very big impetus to finally get off this has been created. I've been o this stuff nearly since it came out and I want to taper off and move on with my life.

 

[THECATINTHEHAT]

Thanks for the replies. I consider this a life lesson anda very big impetus to finally get off this has been created. I've been o this stuff nearly since it came out and I want to taper off and move on with my life.

They've given you a taper, do it then. Get yourself some support and encouragement from other people, surely you can attend NA as well as your scheduled appointments? I would be terrified coming off after 10 years, sounds like you are too. It won't be easy, but you can do it. If you think you can stretch the taper out then do so. Ask yourself whether starting up with a new 'easy going' doc is what you need. Good luck, do it for your little ones.

 

[Miss Kirsty]

Well that not good news mate its excellent!...they could of, from what i read on B.L, tossed you off and given you boot up the ass!...Not that thats what i think they should do, its just i read so many people on here getting thrown off and given no meds...Soo im very glad they gave you an above decent taper also..
Phactor, yes, we do have it very very good here in Australia...You can be in withdrawal and be on a program by the end of the same day you decide thats what you want to do!...We are very lucky compared to the USofA...you guys have the fuckest health care about...its mad...
As for not allowing you to go to NA or AA, that mate i totally dont understand...There are people on here that deal with thopse two agencies that might be able to advise you...But IMHO, it sounds like a screwed up thing to say to an addict really..Youd think they would pat you on the back for joining no?